Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1887-11-25

CHAPTER VI
joe Was the firstAto spring on board;
and It was evident that Joe Whitney
was youth of considerable v;yac.ty.
to say the least. He Slapped Captain
Flag familiarity on the shoulder, sa-
luted the grinning George Washington
in most hilarious manner. and, rush
ing frantically aft, seized upon Bounce
with a shout of jubilation.
II say, Polly" he exclaimed, "what
jolly little dog-only you orter have
him muzzled-he looks savage"
There's some boys 1 know that
wouldn't be worse if they were muz-
zled." gravely observed Captain Flagg
-rescuing Bounce from the hands of
his nephew, who was preparing to
stand the small dog ON his hind legs
though he tempered the severity of this
hint by slight internal chuckle, and a
wink of intense meaning.
mo! is that SO. Uncle Jeth?" re-
turned Joe, regarding Tad with look
of seeming apprehension. HE don't
seen, like one of that kind" added the
youthful speaker. with affected limo
ccnce, as Captain tlagg turned away
to hide smile.
"Oh, Joe Whitney, you're just as
bad us ever" Polly exclaimed, despair
ingly; and then, remembering that the
polite usages of society called for a
formal introduction, she added:
Joe, this is Tad Thorne-I hope
you'll be ever so good friends"
"How are you, TadP" said Joe, with
shy twinkle in his eye.
"How are you Joe?" awkwardly re-
turned Tad, who didn't very well know
what else to say, and, on the whole,
rather fancying the easy, off-hand man
ner of Polly's cousin. But, then, every
body liked Joe, as general thing
even those Bixport people who insisted
that If he Uas Deacon Whitney's son,
he was the worst boy in the place.
Yet Joe's b. dness was nothing SO
very bad. after all. He was only one
Of those restless. fun-loving boys, who
are never SO well content as when they
are in mischief; and neither the pro-
testations of his mother, nor the occa-
s;onal thrashings administered by the
good deacon, had any thing more than
merely temporary effect.
Ibid you come from Boston?" asked
Joe, as Tad, with a home-sick feeling
under his jacket, watched Polly and her
father getting ready to leave the vessel.
for, of course. he expected to have to
stay on board until some different ar
rangement was made for him.
mo, from Philadelphia" returned
Tad. and Joe began to regard him with
sort Of. respect; for Philadelphia, in
the eyos>of ,blxport people. was one OF
the most wonderful cities in the whole
world.
''Come on, Tad; we're all ready"
called Polly, and I can assure you that
Tad was not more than a minute in
running below after tho little hand
sachel which he determined not to let
out of his possession, and returning to
the deck.
''Isn't it nice that you're going home
with us?" said Polly, rs the little party
of three walked up the wharf, leaving
Joe swarming up the "Mary Us"
rigging, three ratlines at step.
Tad thought it was decidedly nice,
and his smiling face expressed more
than his brief words as, dropping be-
hind Polly and her father. he followed
them at respectful distance.
This is Main street," explained
Polly, turning beaming face upon
him. as. leaving the wharf, they en-
tered the village itself.
"Oh" said Tad, flied with amaze
ment, and thinking how funny it all
was-the narrow plank walk. the grass
growing green by the wayside, with
cows-rcal live cows!-feeding on It'll
Tad caught himself wondering what
country cow would do in Philadel-
phia street-say Broad street. for ex-
ample! And then, too, every thing
was 50 quiet. Occasionally farm
wagon rolled leisurely by. or an OK
cart, with brown-faced man, in shirt
sleeves. sitting sideways on the cart
tongue. jolted slowly along. Tad. who
had never seen any oxen before. re-
gardcd them as a probable new and SUI
rcrior breed of cows.
At little intervals along the street,
great elm and maple trees were grow
ing-trecs whose shade in summer
nearly hid the quaint old houses behind
them from view. just now their
branches were bare, but the warm
April sun which shone down through
them suggested that soon they would
begin to throw out shoot and bud. Al
ready some bluebirds and q robin or
two were comparing musical notes in
the tree-tops, as they discussed the
shortest passages from the south, or
began laying their plans for spring
housekeeping.
A little further on stood the one
store and post-officc combined, then
came the town pump, the school-house,
. small church with a square tower like
q sentry-box, and then
"Our house," rapturously cried Pol
ly, and. dropping Bounce. who wad-
ulcu uAouS HAIcI ucE dS 1'tSt rs his SuOrt
legs would carry him, she darted
through an open gateway and up a
trim gravel walk, and was directly
afterward infolded in the motherly
arms of Mrs. Flagg. who was short and
stout like her husband, and beamed so
genially upon Tad, through pair Of
brass-bowed spectacles, a moment or
two later, that his heart warmed
toward her at once.
''Our house, was a funny little one
story building with what the Bixport
people call ''gambril roof" making
it seem to an imaginative person as
though it were Struggling its shoulders
with its hands in its pockets. The
windows were small, with tiny panes
of glass, and the front door, painted q
lively pea-greea, had a wonderfully
bright brass knocker in the center of
the upper panel. There was weather.
beaten barn at the rear, from whose
open doors issued fiocks Of noisy hens,
while number of doves "courooed"
on the roofs in the sunshine; the little
Aoov Il